


Switch Yourself

by Thedupshadove



Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: Gen, Morality Switch, character examination
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25113100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thedupshadove/pseuds/Thedupshadove
Summary: A Hot Take on one detail of how the Morality Switch works
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	Switch Yourself

“Brian, switch yourself”.

He looks over at Ashes; “What?”

“That morality switch of yours. You’re in no-kill mode right now, and we’re about to launch into some violence and we could really use you. So switch yourself.”

He stares at them for a moment. “No.”

They narrow their eyes. “I’m not interested in arguing, Brian.”

“Neither am I, particularly, especially since it’s pointless. You know that in this mode I can’t do anything that would be morally wrong.”

“And?”

“And it would be wrong to turn myself into somebody who _would_ willingly do things that are morally wrong. So I can’t do it.”

They roll their eyes, but they must believe him, or they wouldn’t be reaching for the switch themself….

*

“Brian, you’d better switch yourself”.

Again, he raises his head to meet Ashes’ gaze. “What for?”

“We actually need diplomacy this time. Probably be better if you’re in ‘cuddly’ mode.”

“Well I can’t.”

“I thought this mode could do anything for a good outcome.”

“Yes, but I can’t just think about the most immediate outcome—I have to plan for the more distant future too. He won’t want to switch back, and sooner or later he’ll be in a position where more good could be accomplished by putting results over principles, and he won’t do that, and the blood will be on my hands, because I could have done what needed to be done if I was in control, which I would have been if I hadn’t switched myself. So I can’t switch myself.”

“What if I promise to switch you when that sort of situation arises?”

“There’s no guarantee that you’ll be there when it happens, so no good.” He sees them purse their lips. “Look, anything good that he would do, I can do as well.”

But on that score they must _not_ believe him, because once again the hand comes toward his neck. There’s a scuffle, Brian fighting tooth and nail to retain the moral position he’s currently so sure he needs, in a way that his other half never could, because “it’s wrong to harm people, especially your friends, even if they’re about to do something to you that you won’t like.” But Brian never could beat Ashes, so soon enough “cuddly” Brian is in the driver’s seat, and genuinely thankful for being given back control.


End file.
